Flexing the authority of his 10-month post, interim Jefferson Parish President Steve Theriot has appointed new members to three boards and is considering replacing many if not all of former President Aaron Broussard's selections.

He said his actions are driven as much by his prerogative to personalize the appointments to boards and commissions as they are by vacancies that opened up due to recent reform measures enacted by his administration and the Parish Council.

So far, Theriot has filled holes on the governing boards of the parish's two hospitals and the Jefferson Parish Finance Authority.

Arthur "Rusty" Hickham Jr., 48, of River Ridge joined the East Jefferson General Hospital board of directors April 5, replacing banker Ashton Ryan Jr. Hickham is a malpractice defense attorney who formerly practiced as a dentist. He said this is his first appointment to a public board in Jefferson Parish.

Richard Legendre, 58, of Marrero came to the West Jefferson Medical Center board of directors April 5 to replace Gary Lala. Legendre retired more than a year ago from The Livingston Group, a lobbying firm established by former U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston, R-La., that represented the hospital for two years before Legendre left.

Legendre has been working part-time for U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La. He said he once served on the parish charter committee and was an administrative assistant in the 1980s to Parish Councilman Lloyd Giardina.

Jeffrey Bennett, 45, of River Ridge joined the Jefferson Parish Finance Authority on April 14, replacing Barry D. Bordelon. Bordelon is not the same Barry Bordelon who serves as top aide to Councilman Elton Lagasse.

Bennett is a certified public accountant, a former auditor and a lawyer who practices family and commercial law. He said this is his first appointment to a public board in Jefferson Parish.

The parish president has authority to send appointees to almost four dozen boards and commissions.

Several vacancies opened as Theriot streamlined Broussard's administration, removing some employees who also served as appointees. For instance, an open seat now exists on the Tax Adjudicated Properties Donation Review Committee because Theriot eliminated an administrative position held by Broussard executive assistant D.J. Mumphrey.

Other positions were vacated after the council barred appointees in February from serving on more than one board or commission.

Theriot said he wants to find people who will work best with his interim administration during its short tenure. With a special election scheduled for October, Theriot will have served for only 10 months. As an appointed parish president, he is barred from running in that election to serve the remainder of Broussard's term, which ends in 2012.

Broussard resigned Jan. 8 amid a federal criminal investigation of his administration. The Parish Council appointed Theriot to the interim position.

"It looks like he's basically clearing out the Broussard regime and wants to get a fresh start in Jefferson Parish politics," said Ed Chervenak, a political science professor with the University of New Orleans.

It could also be a good campaign point should Theriot decide to run for parish president in 2011, Chervenak said.

"He can say, 'Look, I removed all Broussard's people and replaced them with people who are not tainted by the corruption," Chervenak said.